Consume Me

At that moment, something inside me shifted. I felt a spark of determination igniting within my chest, fueled by the knowledge that this creature had faith in my ability to overcome even the most insurmountable odds.

Drawing upon every ounce of strength and courage I possessed, I steeled myself for another attack. This time, however, I didn't rely solely on elemental magic; instead, I reached deep into the core of my being, tapping into a wellspring of power I had yet to fully understand or control.

Anger.

I had only ever drawn on my love and compassion to give me the strength that I needed, and I relied on the idea that everyone else would come to respect me one day. But there was something else. Something that burned inside of me like a hot iron. I had pushed it down with Lachlan and every other human I had met, but maybe I was just lying to myself to make myself feel better.

*CRACK!*

The truth was that I hated when they looked at me. Each sneer and whisper grated me to my very core, but I had just pretended like it didn't bother me. Why did I do that? Why did I put up with it?

*CRACK!* *CRACK!*

Slowly, cracks were starting to appear in the fog, and red anger frothed out. Memories almost all still eluded me, but something in my mind started to bloom as I looked down at my hand.

"The Fog is starting to lift, my king."

Violent red energy coated my hand like a slow burning fire, and I felt my body heat up as my nail became sharp, almost like claws. I tore my coat and shit off, steam rising up off me, and then raked my claws from my forehead down my face and then chest. My flesh flowered open, and blood sprayed out, but it all gathered into an orb in the palm of my hand.

The blood became a dagger that I twirled around in my hand as I used my other to feel my wounds heal. Something about this pain was so welcoming and nostalgic.

"Cracks have appeared, Gothais. Summon all the monsters in the area. You alone will not be enough," I said as the last cut healed. My memory was starting to come, and I could feel myself shifting. My confidence had been a joke, and I started to understand why who I really was had been hidden.

Because I was a monster, and this weak form would have tried to change that. That made me furious to know that I had fallen so far, but my love had found me a castle. This was the first life that I had started to high up, and I would reward my Queen with the greatest of gifts for this when the time was right.

That time was not now, and I was still missing the part that understood this red burning anger that was incarnate. That part was going to tear me apart when it found out what we had been doing.

"As you wish, my king," Gothais said, and I turned around, spreading my arms. The reborn me was scared of what was to come next, but the old me that was slowly emerging couldn't wait to kill that fear.

Gothais stamped down behind me, and I felt the ice spikes rush across the ground to my back. The ice piece my back and through my chest, carrying me at high speeds back out of the mountain. There was no pain anymore, just excitement and anger all mixed together.

As the ice carried me through the dark tunnels at breakneck speed, I felt both exhilaration and fury coursing through my veins. The dormant power within me was awakening, fueled by the anger that had been suppressed for so long.

As we emerged from the mountain, a horde of monsters came into view – summoned by Gothais to push me even further beyond my limits. Each one was more terrifying than the last, but instead of feeling fear or uncertainty, I felt an overwhelming surge of determination.

The time had come to face everything that held me back – to confront the darkness within me and embrace my true self.

With a feral roar, I tore free from the ice spike impaling me and launched myself into the fray. My newfound power surged through every fiber of my being as I clashed with the monstrous horde. Magic crackled around me like lightning, and I reveled in the raw strength that had once been hidden away deep within my mind.

Every blow I struck seemed to chip away at the fog obscuring my memories, bringing me closer and closer to reclaiming my past. As I fought, flashes of my old life danced before my eyes – my kingdom, my people, and the all-consuming war that had changed the course of history time and time again.

Despite the chaos surrounding me, something about this brutal dance of destruction felt almost comforting, like slipping into an old familiar rhythm. Deep down, I knew that this was where I belonged – on the battlefield, leading my armies to victory against the ones that called themselves the light and that always rallied the pathetic humans against me: The Council of Verse.

Soon, the monsters started to attack even harder, but even if I lost an arm, I just grew another one almost instantly.

The realization that I was healing at an incredible rate only fueled my determination further. As the battle raged on, the memories of who I had been continued to flood back into my mind, bringing with them not just clarity but also a renewed sense of purpose.

I fought against the relentless onslaught of monsters with every ounce of my strength, taking down countless enemies in the process. My magic and physical prowess seemed almost limitless as I embraced the darker aspects of myself, growing ever more powerful with each passing moment.

No longer afraid of what lay within me, I allowed the darkness to consume me, knowing that it would make me strong enough to face any foe – even the malevolent force that held Elara captive.